


Spottedfur's Pride

by Bandtrees



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dark, F/M, Gen, Original Character Death(s), Original Character-centric, Original Clans (Warriors), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Relationship(s), Serial Killers, Traditional Naming, Villain Protagonist, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:08:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22424593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bandtrees/pseuds/Bandtrees
Summary: ElmClan and IvyClan have been warring for the forest for as long as Spottedfur can remember. Positions of power are more sought after than ever, but no cat is more determined to lead than him. Forever jaded by the violence he's endured and witnessed his entire life, the ElmClan tom will stop at nothing to do what he believes is right and serve his Clan the way it's meant to be served.
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Original Male Character(s)/Original Female Character(s)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Spottedfur's Pride! This'll be my first go at a long-term multi-chaptered fic, so be patient with me, please! 
> 
> As a fair warning, this fic is very dark even for WC, mainly in the death department. It's pretty edgy, but death is as edgy as it'll get (no abuse, etc.). The tags will be updated with trigger warnings as the fic goes on.
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy!

The pristine snow covering the ElmClan ground was a relief to see. Spottedpaw watched as Shellfoot’s kits stumbled about in it — it was the first time they had ever seen snow, and their mother was watching close behind as they played. It was as lazy a day as the tireless Falconstar could allow, which wasn’t something Spottedpaw had seen since the first moons of his apprenticeship. The Clan was a working body, unable to risk a day without hunting or training, much less in leaf-bare, but the lull of the afternoon, with the sun high in the sky, was hard to resist even in the chilled weather. 

Spottedpaw was keeping an eye on Oakkit, the tiny gray-brown molly intently watching a bug skitter across a frost-covered branch. He wasn’t sure what the other cats were doing, though he could hear Nettlepaw and Sorrelpaw’s conversation from a tail-length away. There was no need to focus on it — the Clan was on no high alert for once.

Something in the air soon shifted, however. The frost was growing heavier, the snow no longer a comfort but a pain. Spottedpaw could feel his pads sting against the hardened ice as he followed Shellfoot and her kits back into the nursery. As the wind picked up, snowflakes clinging to the pelts of the cats unwise enough to not return to their dens, the sound of rustling near the camp entrance was unnoticed until a blue tom stumbled in, blood leaking from a ripped ear.

Snow was kicked up as he frantically staggered to the middle of camp, wound staining the ice below him a dark red as his chest rose and fell. It took a moment to catch his breath, some of his Clanmates — Falconstar included — emerging from their homes to watch with wide eyes. “What happened, Pinestripe?” The ElmClan leader questioned, though her ever-stern mew made it sound more like a demand.

“Sss—” Pinestripe began, tossing a stricken look over his shoulder into the frosted forest behind him. Every shiver of his gray body brought another crimson stain to the snow. “Outs-side, by the river— IvyClan’s in our territory.” 

Those words seemed to unleash Falconstar’s full anger, and Pinestripe jolted at the sudden fire in her eyes. “And they did that to you?” She didn’t wait for Pinestripe’s nod as she turned her head to call into the leader’s den where her deputy lay, “Daisyheart, get the nursery cats and elders safe inside! If they’re attacking at sun-high without warning, those brutes won’t discriminate.”

She ushered Pinestripe into the direction of the medicine den with her bushy tail, padding into the middle of camp, about to bark another order when a snow-pelted patrol burst into camp, claws gleaming. The cat at the front of the patrol, a skinny gray-brown tom, lept for Falconstar and the retreating wounded warrior as his fellow cats dispersed to attack the camp. 

In an instant, Spottedpaw realized a blur of cream and brown was hurtling towards him, and he was thrown into the snow by a colorpoint IvyClan molly. Her scarred lips were curled back in a snarl, and Spottedpaw’s short legs didn’t do as much damage kicking the lean cat as he would’ve liked. Twisting out of her grip just as she raised a clawed paw to slice at him, Spottedpaw landed a blow against her forehead with a _thwack_. With a sneer, the molly tackled him again, knocking the wind out of him as snow splashed around the two in a flurry. Struggling against her grip, he managed to sink his fangs into her leg, and the molly’s blood stained his tongue as she pulled away to torment another cat.

The pristine snow the Clan had been marveling at moments ago was now closer to slippery slush against the dirt, trampled to the forest floor by the warring, bleeding cats. Cold dirt was stuck between his toes, alongside clumps of his adversary’s fur, and he panted to try and get a grip on things. The sound of screeching and the overwhelming scent of blood and injury made it difficult, but he could just make out Falconstar chasing after the brown tom, yowling something he couldn’t quite decipher.

Hearing a loud sound next to him, different from the usual noises of battle, Spottedpaw turned to find a fighting cat collapsed in the frost. Taking a step back in surprise, he realized it was one of his own. Maplepelt, a ginger warrior, lay still on the camp floor, flecks of her skull embedded in a stone jutting from the ground, blood still seeping from the fresh crack in her head. He looked up fearfully, finding the perpetrator, a black-and-white tom whose pelt was stained red. Before the IvyClan cat could realize his presence and bash him against the same stone, a flurry of long golden fur and sharpened claws appeared to bowl the larger tom over.

Tawnyfur, Maplepelt’s mate, was now fighting the enemy and losing. Spottedpaw remembered distinctly in the warrior code, _an honorable warrior need not kill another cat to win a battle_ , but it seemed IvyClan was not out for justice, or any honorable goal - simply bloodshed. 

“Rotten cowards, spawn of the Dark Forest, all of you! Every last one!” Tawnyfur was screeching as he struggled beneath the other cat’s grip. With another yowl, he opened his jaws to fight with his fangs, only to be pushed back to the ground and bitten himself. 

Forcing himself to move as the IvyClan warrior sunk his teeth into Tawnyfur’s exposed throat, Spottedpaw lunged for the black-and-white cat as hard as his short legs could manage. If nothing else, it was a distraction, and it worked. Tawnyfur was dropped to the frozen ground like a piece of fresh-kill in favor of his attacker attempting to shake Spottedpaw off of him. The small tom latched himself onto the other cat’s back, forcing his claws into every crevice he could in an effort to make him surrender.

It wasn’t working, and as he was about to be flung to the snow and pummeled, a hoarse yowl rang throughout the camp. Following the voice, Spottedpaw saw a dark gray molly he, strangely, hadn’t seen amongst the fighting yet. “IvyClan, retreat!” Her blue eyes were wide at the massacre before her, and her short pelt made her look even smaller in the weather. The tom Spottedpaw was fighting shoved him away, and the ElmClan camp seemed to go still. When the other Clan made no motion to leave, the molly repeated, louder, “I said, retreat! What in the name of StarClan is wrong with you cats?!” 

“Stormstar!” Falconstar glared in her direction as the wiry tom she was fighting retreated. “What’s the meaning of this?! Can you not control your cats?” She snarled, relatively unscathed by the bloody skirmish her Clan was in. ElmClan and IvyClan paws alike pounded against the snow, the former in the direction of the medicine den, and the latter towards their leader. 

Stormstar’s ears were flat, and she shook her head, voice a blend of fearful for Falconstar and disappointed in her cats. “This isn’t my doing. I don’t know what cat organized this, but this is the first I’m hearing of it.”

“Fox-dung!” Falconstar spat, and the ferocity in her voice made even Spottedpaw shiver. “Two of our warriors are _dead_! Are you so incompetent that you couldn’t see this coming? StarClan should have your lives revoked for this!”

The other molly stared wide-eyed for a moment at the realization cats had died, and her voice was low when she whispered sympathetically, “I’m sorry.” The empathy was not returned, Falconstar only watching her fellow leader with barely-restrained fury.

Spottedpaw could sense the small gray molly’s fear, and he didn’t think she was lying, but an apology wouldn’t make up for this. Two cats had died in front of him, and for what? An underground battle plan from a group of disillusioned warriors? Stormstar’s expression hardened, turning the attention to her own Clan. “Whoever planned this is going to be punished.” Her gaze flickered to the cats, some of which were glaring back. Whatever their motivation was, they seemed set to it, and almost hurt that their leader didn’t agree. “As will everyone involved.”

Baring her teeth, Falconstar seemed unconvinced, and stared down the smaller molly for what felt like a minute. “Get out of my camp.” She finally demanded, low voice laced with fury as her fur bristled along her back, parted by old gashes. “Before I bleed you out nine times over. How any cat can call you a leader is beyond me.”

Beckoning her followers with her tail, Stormstar lightly shook the powdered snow from her pelt, eyes avoiding Falconstar’s in shame. “If this disobedience means anything, no cat does,” were her final words as she turned to lead the battle patrol back to their territory. Looking on it, it was only four cats, including the gray-brown tom at the head of the invasion, but those four cats had damaged ElmClan irreparably. 

As IvyClan filtered out and the battered ElmClan cats looked over their camp for signs their kin weren’t one of the two killed, Spottedpaw assessed the damage. There was a sting in his chest from the colorpoint molly’s claws, but the blood covering his fur was not his. Maplepelt and Tawnyfur had died mere paw-steps away from him, and the latter’s punctured throat bled harder than Spottedpaw even knew cats could. Just the smell alone was smothering, between the splatters on his own pelt and the scent of wounds throughout the Clan. When he stepped away from the corpses of the two dead mates to let other cats deal with them, he could hear a mournful wail from their daughter Sorrelpaw.

Spottedpaw would have been startled by how easily he went from going about his day to fighting IvyClan warriors, but grimly, this was not a new occurrence for ElmClan. He didn’t even remember what they fought for, but the two Clans had been at odds for his entire life, and nicks and scratches were a common sight on nearly every cat from both sides. It was only a matter of time until the next full-scale battle broke out. What the other two Clans did with their time was beyond him, and he didn’t know if he envied their security or not.

Acutely, he wondered why he had to live like this, but he knew there would be no answer. It was out of his paws - the Elm and Ivy dispute was to be settled by the older generations, and he never knew what was going through the heads of Falconstar and Stormstar. It would never be his place to, and so Spottedpaw had long since accepted that it was just a part of Clan life as any.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Allegiances will be revealed next chapter!


	2. Allegiances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Technically this is breaking my schedule of "post chapter when I finish the one that comes next", but I figured making y'all wait that long for an allegiances page was sorta dumb. :p
> 
> This is my universe of FanClans, but as this fic centers mostly around Elm and Ivy, there won't be much getting into the other ones. I intended to have a larger universe of fics and content, but... never got around to it, so apologies if stuff ever comes off as contextless or confusing. I do what I can to avoid that. 
> 
> Each of the Clans, save for the lyrical ShellClan, use the traditional naming system. Ailuronymy on Tumblr is what I base it on, with some additional suffixes (-throat and -wing, mainly).

**ELMCLAN**

**Leader**

Falconstar, a long-furred, scarred blue-gray molly with hazel eyes.

**Deputy**

Daisyheart, an old cream tabby cat with amber eyes.

**Medicine Cat**

Comfreywing, a pale gray molly with light amber eyes and a bushy tail.

**Medicine Cat Apprentice**

Sycamorepaw, a pretty dilute tortoiseshell-and-white molly with pale green eyes.

**Warriors**

  * Tinyclaw, a small, fluffy blue-gray-and-white patterned tom with blue eyes.
  * Cloverfoot, a large white tom with blue eyes.  
**Apprentice:** Spottedpaw
  * Dappleflower, a spotted tortoiseshell molly with golden eyes.  
**Apprentice:** Thymepaw
  * Mottleheart, a dark ginger patched tom with hazel eyes.
  * Splitface, a lilac tom with a scarred, mangled face.
  * Jaytail, a skinny brown tom with stern hazel eyes. 
  * Moleface, a black molly with a short tail, a scar running across her muzzle, and amber eyes.  
**Apprentice:** Dawnpaw
  * Antthroat, a tiny, skinny black molly with blue eyes.  
**Apprentice** : Nettlepaw
  * Pinestripe, a blue-gray tabby tom with green eyes and a ripped ear.  
**Apprentice** : Heronpaw
  * Brightclaw, a white-and-gray tom with blue eyes.  
**Apprentice** : Sorrelpaw
  * Silvercloud, a silver tabby molly with green eyes.  
  




**Apprentices**

  * Heronpaw, a white tom with blue-gray ears and tail and hazel eyes.
  * Dawnpaw, a lilac molly with lighter markings on her chest, muzzle, and tailtip and blue eyes.
  * Spottedpaw, a short reddish brown-and-cream tortoiseshell tom with oddly-colored eyes.
  * Sorrelpaw, a fluffy-furred dark ginger molly with a lighter underbelly and amber eyes.
  * Nettlepaw, A small, fluffy, smoky-colored tom with flattened ears and golden eyes. 
  * Thymepaw, a mostly white molly with brown tabby patches and blue eyes.



**Queens**

  * Pebblefoot, a pale dilute tortoiseshell tabby molly with green eyes.  
**Kits:** Poplarkit, Oakkit, Aspenkit  
**Mate:** Jaytail



**Kits**

  * Poplarkit, a light gray-and-white tom.
  * Oakkit, a gray-brown molly.
  * Aspenkit, a pale gray tabby molly.



**Elders**

  * Marigoldstripe, an old golden tabby tom with amber eyes.
  * Brackenclaw, an old brown spotted molly with yellow eyes.



* * *

**IVYCLAN**

**Leader**  
Stormstar, a small dark gray molly with blue eyes.

 **Deputy**  
Firwhisker, a stern-looking gray-brown tom with hazel eyes.

 **Medicine Cat**  
Pearleaf, a white molly with ginger tabby markings and blue eyes.

 **Medicine Cat Apprentice**  
Thistlecloud, a blue-gray nonbinary cat with green eyes. 

**Warriors**

  * Sheepclaw, a black-and-white cat with yellow eyes.



**Apprentice** : Fogpaw

  * Acornstorm, a dark brown molly with amber eyes.
  * Patchflower, a ginger-and-white molly with green eyes.
  * Lightningpelt, a white tom with yellow eyes. 
  * Newtfoot, a spotted dark gray-brown cat with copper eyes.



**Apprentice** : Mousepaw

  * Mallowheart, a cream colorpoint molly with a scarred lip and hazel eyes.



**Apprentice** : Reedpaw

  * Buzzardfang, a large gray-brown tom with amber eyes.
  * Sleetfoot, a small gray tabby tom with hazel eyes.
  * Blackwing, a black tom with white markings and amber eyes.



**Apprentices**

  * Fogpaw, a pale silver molly with yellow eyes.
  * Mousepaw, a small light brown molly with white markings and green eyes.
  * Reedpaw, a tall golden-brown tom with yellow eyes.



**Queens**

  * Crowstorm, a black molly with green eyes.  
**Kits:** Shadekit, Applekit, Neritekit  
**Mate:** Blackwing



**Kits**

  * Shadekit, a black tom.
  * Applekit, a ginger tom.
  * Neritekit, a tortoiseshell molly with white markings.



**Elders**

  * Honeyheart, a golden tom with green eyes.
  * Russetstripe, a ginger tom with amber eyes.



* * *

**DUNECLAN**

**Leader**

Ashstar, a fluffy gray spotted tabby molly with green eyes. 

**Deputy**

Snakewing, a pale brown tabby molly with hazel eyes.

 **Apprentice:** Sandpaw

**Medicine Cat**

Duckflower, a brown-and-white tabby tom with yellow eyes.

**Medicine Cat Apprentice**

Wrencloud, a small reddish-brown tabby molly with amber eyes.

**Warriors**

  * Dustfur, a pale brown colorpoint cat with long fur.
  * Boulderfang, a large gray tom with stern dark eyes.  
**Apprentice:** Redpaw
  * Hollystorm, a mostly dark ginger tortoiseshell molly with green eyes.  
**Apprentice:** Chubpaw
  * Antclaw, a tiny ginger dark molly with amber eyes.
  * Owlfoot, a brown tom with hazel eyes.
  * Ratstep, a ragged dark gray tom with copper eyes.
  * Spiderflower, a black molly with yellow eyes.  
**Apprentice:** Cherrypaw
  * Cloudpelt, a white tom with blue eyes.
  * Morningstream, a pale gray molly with green eyes.  
**Apprentice** : Creekpaw
  * Firepelt, a large ginger tom with amber eyes.  
**Apprentice** : Stormpaw  
  




**Apprentices**

  * Redpaw, a dark ginger tom with a short tail.
  * Chubpaw, a fluffy pale brown-and-white tom with green eyes.
  * Cherrypaw, a ginger-and-white tom with amber eyes.
  * Creekpaw, a pale brown tom with hazel eyes.
  * Stormpaw, a dark blue-gray molly with amber eyes.
  * Sandpaw, a light golden tom with amber eyes.



**Queens**

  * Notail, a cream molly with no tail and copper eyes.  
**Kits:** Plumkit, Tansykit  
**Mate:** Firepelt



**Kits**

  * Plumkit, a ginger molly.
  * Tansykit, a cream molly.



**Elders**

  * Willowleaf, a long-furred silver cat with green eyes. 



* * *

**SHELLCLAN**

**Leader**  
Copperstar, a dark ginger cat with bushy fur.

 **Deputy**  
Rosestep, a handsome long-furred ginger tom.

 **Apprentice** : Littlepaw

 **Medicine Cat**  
Flowernose, a white-and-gray molly with blue eyes.

 **Medicine Cat Apprentice**  
Nightpaw, a black tom with yellow eyes.

 **Warriors**

  * Petalbreeze, a white-and-ginger molly with amber eyes.
  * Quickleaf, a pretty golden molly with green eyes.
  * Featherspots, a white cat with tortoiseshell markings and blue eyes. 
  * Rabbitshade, a gray tabby tom with distinct dark stripes.
  * Slateshine, a tall silver tom with long fur and white markings.



**Apprentice** : Gorsepaw

  * Ottertooth, a slick-furred brown molly with dark eyes.
  * Sedgesong, a black molly with green eyes.
  * Ripplestem, a gray tabby tom with amber eyes.
  * Curlnose, a cream tom with curly fur and folded ears.
  * Splashheart, a blue-gray molly with white markings.



**Apprentices**

  * Gorsepaw, a golden molly with yellow eyes.
  * Littlepaw, a light gray-and-white tom with a short tail and hazel eyes.



**Queens**

  * Shimmernose, a white molly with pale eyes.  
**Kits:** Rainkit, Driftkit, Rockkit  
**Mate:** Copperstar
  * Breezestripe, a gray cat with white markings. Expecting Slateshine’s kits.



**Kits**

  * Rainkit, a fluffy white molly.
  * Driftkit, a ginger tom.
  * Rockkit, a dark ginger-and-white tom.



**Elders**

  * Sharpfeather, a gray molly with scarred shut eyes.
  * Ferndapple, a spotted brown tabby cat with yellow eyes.




	3. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spottedpaw knew this wasn’t right. He knew that other apprentices didn’t live like this, and how he envied them, but he couldn’t help his fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I know being three months later doesn't set a great precedent for the rest of the fic, but hopefully you enjoy this regardless! Also, as of right now, this fic is now on FF.net! https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13569097/1/Spottedfur-s-Pride
> 
> We're still in the slower character establishing part of the story, before things really heat up, but I've got big plans coming up soon! Like, next chapter soon ;>

It was hard to dissipate the tension in the air, try as Spottedpaw’s mentor might have. Nearly a moon had passed since ElmClan and IvyClan’s last skirmish, and Falconstar was demanding every mentor train their apprentices for the next. Cloverfoot was a gentle giant of a cat, forgetful and at times dumber than a prey animal, but Spottedpaw could tell he cared for him. Cloverfoot could see the way the constant fear of losing more Clanmates wore on his little apprentice, and there were times like these Spottedpaw felt his mentor was far more observant than cats gave him credit for.

Then again, he mused, Falconstar must have recognized potential in the white tom to gift him a pupil anyway — unless she was hoping for his apprentice to do the mentoring. 

After a bout of practicing fighting moves, specialized for his shorter frame, Spottedpaw was growing tired. The sun was setting when they started, and by now the sky was a dull blue, bathing the sparring cats in a similar hue. His calves felt as if he’d just darted across the Thunderpath, and he shifted his weight from paw to paw to allow them some rest. The melted snow beneath him only added a biting cold to the aching sensations, and he couldn’t have been readier for leaf-bare to be over. 

The opposition seemed to have no such concerns. Sorrelpaw was cleaning her chest fur of dirt, a barely visible bead of blood forming beneath her reddish nose. Spottedpaw hadn’t meant to hit her as hard as he did, but in his defense, the ginger molly’s claws were out for the first round.

“Hey, it’s getting late, isn’t it?” Cloverfoot’s voice cut through the darkening glade as he rose to his paws with a stretch. “You two’ve worked real hard. How about we head on back to camp?”

The other mentor present, Brightclaw, blinked, before looking to the sky with a flicker of his white-and-gray tail. “It’s only sun-fall. There’s still time.”

Not wanting to fight anymore, Spottedpaw was inclined to agree with his mentor, but he also didn’t want to risk appearing lazy to a cat like _Brightclaw._ Falconstar’s mate and one of the most prolific battlers and strategists ElmClan had seen in recent memory, Brightclaw had the biggest say out of the warriors in if Spottedpaw would receive his warrior name. He kept his mouth shut, but it didn’t appear Sorrelpaw had the same instinct.

“I’m tired!” The molly pouted, and her sudden bluntness made Spottedpaw snicker despite himself. His opinions on her were mixed — since the deaths of Maplepelt and Tawnyfur, Sorrelpaw grew prone to acting out, what little impulse control she had dying with them. Some cats found it endearing, but it got on his nerves. Loud cats just weren’t his type, and by Brightclaw’s sigh at his apprentice’s statement, Spottedpaw wasn’t alone in that train of thought. The dark ginger apprentice either didn’t notice their reactions or didn’t care. She sniffed, trying to get rid of the blood bubbling beneath her nostril. “Wanna go back to my den.”

Cloverfoot purred. “Can’t blame you! Say, Spots,” Spottedpaw glanced up at his nickname, only to feel Cloverfoot’s large paw smacked affectionately against his shoulder. “How’s about a reward for working so hard, huh?” His blue eyes glinted good-naturedly. Spottedpaw didn’t feel particularly close with any of his Clanmates, but he couldn’t fault Cloverfoot for trying. “Catch yourself something nice before we go.” 

Ears flattening, Brightclaw cut in. “I should hope you don’t. The elders, queens, and medicine cats eat before anyone else eats.” His hard stare into Cloverfoot did nothing to discourage him, apparently. “Eating while on a hunting patrol is forbidden, much less in leaf-bare.”

“We’re not on a hunting patrol, though, are we?” Cloverfoot replied without a beat, Spottedpaw unsure if he was clever or just that dumb. “Just a little mouse, or somethin’. Spottedpaw’s tiny, he doesn’t need to eat much.”

Spottedpaw frowned. “Hey.”

“C’mon, Spots, just trying to cover for you.”

Brightclaw glared harder as Sorrelpaw returned to wash herself. Finding Cloverfoot unperturbed by the stern gaze of one of the Clan’s most prolific warriors, he finally relinquished after a moment. “Fine. If only because you’re incredibly hard to say no to.”

“Thanks!” Cloverfoot beamed. “Hey, Brighty, if you don’t see nothing, you say nothing. Good to make cats feel like their work pays off, y’know?” He stretched, before beckoning with his tail to lead Spottedpaw further into the forest. Sorrelpaw bounded after them, quickly taking the lead between her energy and Spottedpaw’s shorter strides. Brightclaw was last, not hiding his disapproval.

Prey was hard to come by at this time of night, Spottedpaw spending what felt like a moon crouched and watching for any prey to emerge from its home in the trees. Brightclaw was about to remark under his breath that this was what they got for trying to eat while hunting, but as he did, an oblivious squirrel skittered down the trunk of a large elm to be immediately restrained and killed by the tortoiseshell apprentice. 

He watched Cloverfoot for approval, and the tom’s eyes had lit up. Spottedpaw’s heart warmed — his mentor wasn’t wrong that it made him feel better. As he ate his catch, not as dissuaded by the idea of breaking the warrior code as he thought he’d be, freezing slush was kicked into his face by Sorrelpaw scrambling her way up the tree to find more where it came from. If there were any left, her commotion would’ve scared them off, Spottedpaw thought.

By the time the remains of their prey was buried and the group returned to camp, the sky was dark and cloudy — no stars were to be seen. The ElmClan camp was surrounded by thick, large trees, branches interwoven together as if to shield the vulnerable cat colony. Spottedpaw thought bitterly that they hadn’t been very successful at it — every time he looked at his home, all he could see was the IvyClan cats’ indiscriminate attack. Clan camp was the last place any cat should feel unsafe, but he felt his fur stand on end as he and his Clanmates returned.

The dark shadow shambling through the snow didn’t help, but as it grew closer, Spottedpaw found it was no enemy cat — no, no, it was his closest friend, a lilac apprentice named Dawnpaw. As she approached, she dipped her head towards Brightclaw in respect, before turning her attention to her fellow apprentices. “I was waiting for you guys for, like, an hour.”

“I was busy beating the fluff outta Spottedpaw!” Sorrelpaw exclaimed loudly and proudly, before being hushed by her mentor. 

Rolling his eyes, Spottedpaw corrected, “we were training and went out hunting after.” 

“Really?” Dawnpaw mewed, dull blue eyes lighting up. She turned her head to Brightclaw with enthusiasm. “Can I—”

“Unless you intend on bringing it back for the others, no.” Brightclaw stated, before padding off towards the warrior’s den. “You should head to sleep soon.” He called as he went, before vanishing into his nest.

Cloverfoot watched him go, glancing from the white-and-gray tom to the three apprentices, before bidding them goodnight with a purr and following Brightclaw.

“Brightclaw’s a real stick in the mud.” Dawnpaw pouted the moment the high-ranking warrior was out of sight. There was a beat of silence, before she lowered her voice to address Spottedpaw and Sorrelpaw. “Last Gathering I went to, they were saying ShellClan’s deputy had kits in _IvyClan_.” 

Allowing that to linger in the air for a moment, Spottedpaw then huffed. “That sounds like a rumor.”

Sorrelpaw shook her head, not discouraged. “But isn’t it cool? Why can’t we have fun drama like that?”

“Drama— our Clan’s at _war…_!” Spottedpaw rarely if ever raised his voice, but he couldn’t let that go unspoken.

“I mean, she’s right. A deputy scandal’d be fun.” Dawnpaw shrugged. “More fun than doing battle moves all the time.” 

“Could you _imagine_ the kind of stuff Rosestep gets up to?” Sorrelpaw’s eyes shone at the topic of the ShellClan deputy. “Being at the leader’s right paw, while having a molly from another Clan…” She gasped. “You think he has a mate in ShellClan, too? That’s so exciting!” 

Starting to pad across camp, Spottedpaw shook his head. “I’m kind of worried about your definition of fun.” Hearing Dawnpaw follow after him, he turned into the apprentice’s den and curled himself up in his nest as Sorrelpaw skittered off to no doubt torment other cats with the gossip she’d learned. “I just want a normal Clan. No fighting, no scandals… it must be kind of nice, right?”

Spottedpaw worried he’d said something wrong when Dawnpaw went quiet, but he knew she was desperate to become a warrior ElmClan would be proud of. Born the kit of a sickly molly and a tom mutilated in battle, the family’s worth had always been tied to proving themselves worthy warriors. To her, any way of doing so that wasn’t fighting for her Clan likely felt unreasonable. Slowly, she nodded. “I guess, but… I like serving my Clan, though.” She averted her gaze to the den’s grassy floor. “I would feel bad for cats like Maplepelt and Tawnyfur if they fought for nothing.” 

“Do you think they wanna see us get hurt?” Spottedpaw asked, puzzled.

“I mean, no, but… we should avenge them, right?” Dawnpaw tilted her head as she settled down in her nest. “They died because of IvyClan. I don’t think they’d want us to just… forgive them and move on.”

Spottedpaw went silent. He couldn’t argue with that, but more than anything, he couldn’t voice what he really thought — _who cares what Maplepelt and Tawnyfur think? They’re the ones who decided to fight and get killed_. He remembered he fought that day, too, but… there was no sense of servitude in it. He wasn’t proud to defend his Clan. He was just scared of getting hurt.

He rested his head against his paws, and sensing the conversation was over, Dawnpaw did the same. Even as the lilac molly slowly fell asleep, Spottedpaw’s mind continued to run. Every sound in the camp made his fur stand on end, and his wide eyes flickered from the den’s entrance to the visible corners of camp. How could any cat sleep after being attacked in their own camp, on a day like any other? It was a moon ago, and no attacks happened since, but that didn’t stop Spottedpaw’s thundering anxiety in the least. 

He knew this wasn’t right. He knew that other apprentices didn’t live like this, and how he envied them, but he couldn’t help his fear. The rest of the Clan was asleep, a perfect time for the IvyClan _rats_ to attack if they so desired. 

Distantly, grass rustled, and Spottedpaw backed into the den’s corner, baring his claws. A shape emerged from the camp entrance, and through the roaring in his ears, he recognized its white pelt and blue markings. Just another apprentice. Spottedpaw exhaled, shuddering in relief. This was routine for him, ever since the night he’d watched two of his Clanmates be slain before him. Every pawstep could be ones of the black-and-white IvyClan tom who haunted his nightmares. 

He didn’t know what he was going to do if they were. His fur settled, though his yellow eyes were still widened and fixed upon the cat who entered. Heronpaw, the leader’s son, a mischievous tom with possibly the biggest ego that Spottedpaw could fathom. The rules of curfew didn’t seem to apply to him, wandering out almost every night without so much as a slap on the paw. Spottedpaw heard that he was doing chores, but that always felt like a cover story. He didn’t know _what_ Heronpaw did, and never thought to ask, simply stepping aside as the taller young tom stretched and joined him in their den.

“StarClan’s _sake_ , Spottedpaw.” Heronpaw hissed lowly, rolling his eyes. “It’s moonhigh, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

Spottedpaw blinked rapidly, shaking his head to try and calm himself. He was exhausted, and his mind was playing tricks on him, no doubt. “I was training with Cloverfoot.”

The sneer on Heronpaw’s face only made Spottedpaw’s worry return. “Oh, yeah, your dumb brute mentor.” He huffed, leaning forward to sniff the air around Spottedpaw, making the tortoiseshell cringe back. “He brought you out hunting, too? Pushover.” Spottedpaw wasn’t sure if he meant Cloverfoot or him, but it made him stare at his paws in unease.

Heronpaw seemed to take notice of the gesture, rolling his eyes again and dropping his voice. “Look, that guy’s not gonna teach you mouse-dung. He had to have his warrior ceremony delayed _twice_.” His gaze was hard, letting his statement hang in the air like it made much of a difference to Spottedpaw. Truth was, he didn’t care about that, not being in much of a rush to become a warrior himself.

“Can’t fight to save his life, either.” Heronpaw continued. “You wanna protect this Clan, you gotta learn from the experts, not the cat who had to go to the medicine den for a day because he choked on a squirrel bone.” He tipped his head to the camp entrance. “There’s this spot by the border with IvyClan. I go there all the time. Best hunting and training spots on this side of the border. Cats just don’t go there ‘cause they’re scared.”

Spottedpaw didn’t quite grasp what he was getting at — or, at least, what his motivations were. Some kind of ego trip? As far as he was concerned, the bratty leader’s son wasn’t capable of true kindness. The chores he did around camp were for his mother’s approval and nothing else. It was an unspoken truth around ElmClan, but one nothing could be done about. Regardless of his motivations, the help was appreciated, and as much as the other tom annoyed him, Spottedpaw found himself thinking that, too. 

He couldn’t let it show, though. Heronpaw thrived in having his ego stroked, and Spottedpaw wasn’t about to give that to him. “What, you’re gonna take me on one of your weird rendezvous?”

“And you’re not _excited_?” Heronpaw’s nose scrunched up. “If you wanna hold off your warrior ceremony for six more moons, that’s none of my business. But you’re a smart cat. I saw you fighting last moon. You’ve got potential, can’t waste it all on the dumbest cat to walk the forest.”

Spottedpaw went silent, tail wrapped tightly around his paws. When he said nothing more, Heronpaw just scoffed. “Quiet freak. Look, at sunhigh, I’m gonna go herb collecting for Comfreywing. You come with. I’ll drag you out by the tail if I gotta.”

“Why do you care so much?” 

“Somebody’s gotta. Cloverfoot treats you like a kit. When IvyClan does something again, you’ll be fresh-kill.” 

_When._ Spottedpaw shivered. It was a matter of practicality. As nice as Cloverfoot was, trying to take Spottedpaw’s mind off of the harsh reality he was living in wouldn’t help him. The taste of the squirrel remained on his tongue, the blood a sour reminder of the tom who attacked him that snowy sun-high. Had Stormstar not intervened, his throat would’ve been torn out like Tawnyfur’s. 

He sighed. “Fine. Sunhigh.”

Heronpaw grinned. “Sunhigh. You’re not gonna regret this, promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Allegiances will be revealed next chapter!


End file.
